Automobile signal



M. J. BARNETT.

AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.26,1920.

Patented Oct. 24, 1922.

imm lr Patented Oct. 24, 1922,

earns FATENT c erics,

MORRISSON J. BARNETT, OF SAN FRANCISCO; CALIFORNIA, ASEJGNOR TO MAYER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL.

Application filed. January 26, 1920. vSerial No. 854,031.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I MORRISSON J. 'BAR- NETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automobile Signals, of which the following is a specification. r

This invention relates to improvements in signalling devices for indicating to approaching and following vehicles and to pedestrians the intention of the driver to turn to the right or left or to stop. The primary object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described, which may be easily attached to an automobile, and easily operated from the drivers seat, whether the vehicle be of the open or closed type, the signalling device being con structed with a view to simplifying the construction and reducing the cost of manufacturing of such devices, and the provision of reliable and unmistakable signalling, visible to the driver.

Another-object of the invention is to provide an indicating or signalling device of the character described which-is arranged so that it can be most clearly viewed and is not likely to be confused as to its signalling, and

which is visible at night as well as during the da The invention possesses other advantages and features, some of which, with the foregoing will be set forth at length in the fol lowing description where I shall outline in full. that form of the invention which I have selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming a part of the present specification. In said drawings 1 have shown one form of the construction of my invention but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to such form, since the invention as expressed in the claims may be embodied in a plurality of forms.

Referring to the drawings Figure l is a front elevation ofmy signalling device, showing the signalling" member in the position it will assume to indicate a lei t turn, the normal position being shown in dotted lines. o r

V Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the circuit-closing means. for electric lights on the signalling device open.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken through the indicating member at the mounting thereof and showing the contact members out of. circuit closing position.

Referring particularly to the drawings, the preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a preferably hollow arm 1, having an ofi-set apertured ear 2 at its inner end, which ear engages with a similar ear 3 carried by a suitable clamping member 4. The clamping member is adapted to clamp upon one of the frame members R5 of an automobile wind shield, A bolt 6-extends through the apertured ears 2 and 3 with its head 7 engaging the ear 3, and has a nut 8 turned on the threaded end 9 thereof, the nut being tightened to engage the ear 3, so as to hold the arm 1 extended, preferably at right-angles to the wind shield member 5.

provide resiliency for opposed apertured' ears 11 formed at this end of the arm. The ears being off-set laterally and receiving a screw 12. One end of an L-shaped arm is inserted in the outer end of the arm 1 and clamped therein, by tightening the screw 12, preferably so as to lie in the plane of the arm 1 with the shorter arm portion thereof extending rearwardly of said arm 1. However, this L-shaped arm 13 may be held in various positions of adjustment, as desired.

The outer end of the arm 13 is enlarged, as at 14, and then reduced, as at 15, the reduced portion serving as a stud shaft for an indicating or signalling member 16, the latter preferably being made to simulate an arrow. The indicating member is provided with a central bearing member 17 which receives a reduced portion 15, and provides for rotatabi mounting the si nalling member upon the arm 13. A cap 16 is secured by a feste ng element 19 upon the outer end of This. means of connecting the arm with the clamp- These lamps are received in sockets 25 provided in the ends of the indicating members hollow and for each lamp there is provided a contact device consisting of an expansion.

spring 26 secured to the ends of which are contact members 27 and 28. The contact members 27 are pressed into contact with each light, whereas the contacts 28 are dis posed so as to project into the bearing 17 of the indicating device. The springs 26 and contacts 27 and 28 are contained in tubes 29 of insulation material.

An insulation jacket 30 is mounted upon, and surrounds, the reduced portion 15 and a similar insulation jacket 31 of tube-like form is extended transversely through the reduced portion 15 and jacket 30 with its ends opening flush with the surface of the jacket 30. A conductor 32 from a suitable source ofelectric current, not shown,extends through an opening 33 into the arm 1, and through a passage 34 formed in the arm 13. The extended extremity of this conductor is uncovered, as at 35, and disposed within an enlargement 36 of said passage 34, which enlargement is located in the reduced portion 15. This uncovered end 35 extends through an opening 37 in the jacket 31, into said jacket, and through an opening 38 of a metallic contact member 39 in the form of a tube mounted within said insulation jacket and insulated from the metal of the arm 13. The ends of the tube 39 are disposed in inwardly spaced relation to the outer surface of the jacket 30, so as to avoid contact with the bearings 17. In order to insure the contact of the uncovered end of the conductor with the contact tube 39, the tube 39 is in ternally screw threaded and receives a screw threaded plug 40 which presses said uncovered end into contact with the tube at the opening 38. The contact members 28 are rounded at their ends so that they will project into engagement with the ends of the tube 39, as shown in Figure 2. when the signalling device is brought into horizontal or indicating position. When the signalling device is in upright position. as shown in dotted linesin Figure 1. the contacts 28 are free from engagement with the tube 39 and the circuit for the lights 21 is opened. In this connection, it is to be understood that one side of the circuit is grounded in the metal of the automobile and through the metal of the signalling device. Currentis 16. The indicating member 16 is preferably thus conveyed to thel'ights'2O and 21 .when the contacts 28' engage the contact tube 39 and this occurs only when the signalling device is in signalling position to indicate either a right or left turn. To prevent the indicating member 16 from accidentally moving out of non,-signalling or normal position, there are provided indentations .41 in the upper and lower sides of the jacket 30. The contacts 28, being spring pressed, will engage in these indentations with sufficient force to hold the indicating member in normal position against unintentional movement. Likewise when the indicating member is in signallin position, these spring pressed contacts wil enter the ends of the sleeve 39 and hold the indicating member in position.

When it is desired to pre-indicate a right turn, the driver moves the indicating member so that the head 23 points to the right and a left turn of the vehicle may be preindicated by moving the indicating member so that the head 23 points to the left. When the driver intends-to stop, by moving the dicating member from the position w1th 1ts head 23 pointing upwardly to a position where the head is pointed downwardly, a stop signal will be displayed.

I claim 1. In a vehicle direction indicator, an arm, means for securing said arm to a vehicle, a hollow stud shaft on said arm, a contact member extending transversely through, and insulated from, said stud shaft, a conductor connected with said contact member. an indicating member rotatably mounted upon said stud shaft. electric lights at the extremities of the indicating member, and spring-urged contact members in said indicating member arranged to engage opposite ends of the contact member when the indicating member is moved into certain positions.

2. In a vehicle direction indicator, an arm adapted to be secured to a vehicle and projected outwardly therefrom, said arm having a stud shaft on its outer end, an insulation tube surrounding the shaft, an insulation tube extending transversely through the first tube and shaft with its ends flush withthe first tube, a contact tube in said second named insulation tube, an indicating member rotatable on said shaft, electric lights on said indicating members, contact members adapted to engage the lights and said contact tube and springs between and forcing said contact members towards the lights and said contact tube.

3. In a vehicle direction indicator, an arm adapted to be attached to a vehicle and to project outwardly therefrom, an indicating member mounted for rotation upon said arm at a point intermediate of the ends of said indicating member, a contact member car ried upon said arm and having opposite por lightscarried upon the outer ends of said tions thereof disposed so that portions of indicating member, and contact members 10 said indicating member on opposite sides of carried within said 'ndicating member en its mounted member may be brought into gaging said electric ights, and adapted to 5 alinement with said portions of the contact engage said portions of said first named conmember, said indicating member completely tact member when the indicatingmember is enclosing and concealing said contact memmoved into certain indicating position. her where mounted upon said arm, electric MORRISSON J. BARNETT. 

